Don't own Twilight or any of the characters. Sorry this has taken so long. I've been really busy. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter Eleven

BPOV

Many nightmares haunted my once peaceful nights. They always began the same as the first, and always ended the same. But the event I saw was always different. Sometimes it would be Mother being raped, sometimes it would be Father being beaten, and other times it would be another woman or man I had grown up around being destroyed, their bodies falling beside those of my parents, their silver eyes wide open, seeming like they were watching in horror. Regardless of the event, it was always my fault.

My fault for being selfish and leaving home when it needed me most.

My fault for being a coward and not returning sooner to fulfill my promise and duty to my parents and to my world.

My fault.....

Moving on from the pity party, these nightmares made it difficult for me to sleep. Each night they would grow longer, forcing me to relive whatever event I saw that night over and over. Sometimes it was nearly impossible for Edward to wake me up because I was in so deep. Luckily, he was able to wake me all the time, though it seemed like it was getting harder and harder. So, to make things easier on both of us, I skipped sleeping through the night and took power naps all throughout the days. I had multiple alarms set on my watch and my phone to wake me up. Plus I had the Cullens, who disapproved of my idea but supported me nonetheless. One of them, usually Edward or Alice, would wake me up before I fell into a deep sleep. Though this lack of sleep was slowly taking its toll, it was worth it.

But, it was also making Edward a basket case. He continuously asked me if I needed a nap and suggested that I should be sleeping longer. He thought that as long as I didn't sleep for a number of hours straight, waking me up would still be fairly easy. I didn't want to take the chance though. I may constantly deal with death and thoughts of never seeing the world again, but when the possibility was happening to me, it was almost too much to bear.

Oh, and let's not forget my new best friend, my mark. It was absolutely fantastic. I mean who doesn't want to experience random fits and sudden searing pains throughout the day. I apologize to all of you that do and I am amazed at how you do it. Heck if I were human and this happened to me normally, I wouldn't be able to live life. I would seriously seal myself away in a box with all the morphine in the world and hope that my suffering would end soon.

Lucky humans and your drugs. At times like this, I wish they worked on me sometimes.

Anyway, getting back to the mark, it has grown in size.... oh joy. It began on my left hand. It now covers my left arm, my chest, and is beginning its way to my neck, right shoulder, and torso. I've actually lost nearly all feeling in my left arm because of this curse. Like I said, it will slowly tear me apart until there is nothing left. None of the Cullens know that I can't really feel my left side and I didn't really intend for them to find out.... until today, when I had no choice.

I was hanging out at the mansion, finishing up some paperwork for the station and watching on in amusement as Esme and Emmett tried to make me lunch. "Emmett! Turn that oven back down! We don't want to burn Bella's lunch!" Esme was scolding Emmett once again because he kept increasing the temperature on the oven. He wholeheartedly believed that my meal would cook faster if the oven were hotter. Too bad it doesn't really work that way.

As I signed my name on the last paper, I winced a bit as I felt the mark reach my right shoulder. I saw Edward, who was sitting next to me, wince as well. I knew that my stubbornness about going home and taking care of this was driving him insane. He felt that it was his fault I was suffering, and never failed to tell me that he wished he could trade places with me so I wouldn't be in pain. And I never failed to tell him that he was a stupid masochistic fool for thinking that I would ever want to trade places.

I placed the signed documents back into my bag, where they hopefully wouldn't get lost, and turned towards Edward. I saw sadness, guilt, and helplessness reflecting in his eyes. I lovingly wrapped my arms around his neck as I hugged him. "Don't worry about me Edward. As long as I have you, I will fight and I will not lose. You've given me something I want to fight for. Don't feel sad. You're helping me more than you know. I would be long gone by now, a prisoner in my own mind, if I didn't have you as my guardian angel. Please know that." He gave me a very small, sad smile before picking me up and moving into the living room. He placed us on the couch, me in his lap. His family has grown used to our closeness, though they still tease us sometimes. Alice hasn't really had the chance to go through the Spanish Inquisition with me yet, mostly because I've been avoiding it. I know that it hurts her, to think that I can't go to her and tell her anything; to be able to trust her with my darkest thoughts.

But what would I tell her? I didn't even know where I stood with Edward. I know that I want to be his for the rest of eternity,that I'll never want anyone else, and that I love him. But what about him? Surely he has someone special waiting for him somewhere, someone better suited for him. As if he was reading my mind, he swiftly leaned down and kissed me, causing all my doubting thoughts to leave. I sighed when he pulled away. He chuckled at my reluctance to let him go.

"Bella, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

I looked up at him. I felt the fear of being pushed away and rejected enter my body, and I did my best to hide it, but I think he saw it.

"I don't really know how to ask this but, Bella will you be my...."

A sudden crash stopped him from finishing his question. Suddenly, shards of glass came flying towards us. I lifted my arm before Edward could do anything. I heard him gasp as what was left of the window hit my skin. I was actually surprised when it cut because normally my skin, since I'm normally in my demon form when I'm there. I can't help but feel completely comfortable with who and what I am in their house.

"Bella, are you alright?" Edward had immediately removed the glass and was examining my arm. As I expected, there was only a cut; no blood or pain joined it. "How..?" I shrugged.

"As the mark grows further along a limb, I begin to loose all feeling in that particular limb. It becomes useless and is really just dead weight on me."

"So you can't feel your left arm anymore?" I knew that this new information was hurting him, especially because of my stubbornness about going home and all.

"Not anymore no. Good thing I'm not left handed." I saw him try to smile, but the helplessness had returned into his eyes. I placed my good hand on his cheek as he stroked the now useless one. "Don't worry. I'm not afraid. Neither should you."

After that, things just continued. Alice finally cornered me so she could squeeze me for information when Edward was out hunting one day. "Bella!! You have got a lot of explaining to do missy! Why didn't you tell me you were dating my brother??" I laughed at Alice's fake anger.

"Because I don't really think I am." Confusion covered her face.

"You better not just be using him for one last game before you kick the bucket." My mouth dropped open at her statement.

"I would never do that! I've adored your brother since the first time I ever laid eyes on him. I've loved him for nearly a century now and I haven't even really known him for a full year yet. Like you vampires, demons usually mate for eternity. I couldn't even begin to think about using him for my pleasure because that is not what he is to me." During my little rant, I hadn't noticed that the door opened and someone had come into our conversation. All I knew was that one moment I was staring Alice down, the next I was being dipped down with a familiar pair of lips covering my own. I knew by his scent that Edward had come back. I sighed as I relaxed into his arms, enjoying this embrace. He pulled away for a moment to whisper those three little words I had been waiting for him to say.

"I love you too."

He picked me up once more and dashed us into his bedroom, leaving an angry Alice in the living room. I giggled as I heard her huff in annoyance, muttering to herself about kidnapping me to really question me. Edward chuckled, probably at her thoughts, as he turned on his stereo. The soft melody of Claire De Lune floated out, making me sink onto the couch in contentment. He quickly joined me, wrapping us in a tight embrace. Then I fell asleep to him humming what sounded like a lullaby in my ears.

And for the first time in days, my dreams were peaceful.

EPOV

I watched in silence as my Bella slept in my arms, finally sleeping peacefully. A soft smile appeared on her face as I shifted our position on the couch, so she was lying down on top of me, her head resting beneath my chin. She was so beautiful. I still couldn't believe how lucky I had become. After trying and failing to find her the first time, I feared that she was only a figment of my imagination, of some girl I had left behind and would never see again. But then, nearly a century later, there she was. I gently stroked her cheek.

"Edward" I almost cursed out loud. Had I woken her up again?

"Edward....don't take the gift from Emmett. It's filled with green jello..." I had to cover my mouth with my hand. She was sleep talking. Because of her nightmares, she had remained silent, for the most part, throughout the night. But now, with her mind at such ease, she seems to have returned to an old habit.

Edward! Something's coming. I can't really see what though. Oh great....I tried to move out from underneath Bella, but of course as soon as I wasn't touching her, her eyes shot open. She turned her gaze towards me, standing right next to the door. She then re-closed her eyes. "They're friendly. Still in control of their own minds. Hopefully they're just passing through. I'll be down in a minute." I walked back to her and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead before leaving.

Once I was downstairs, my family had already invited these guests in. They stood and saluted as I entered. Then, they began speaking in a very strange language. It consisted of many clicks and hums, but with words as well. It was like a mix between some spoken language and the clicking language used in Africa. We all stared at them in confusion as they tried to communicate with us through this strange tongue. Even their thoughts were in this language. Once they realized they were getting nowhere, they conversed among themselves for a bit, hopefully trying to guess which language we spoke. Finally, one of them began to speak English.

"Uh... he-he-hello. I am Aga-than-gelos and he Chry-san-thos. Any you speak the tongue?" Why everyone turned their heads to me is still a mystery. "No I'm afraid none of us do. There is one with us who may; she'll be joining us shortly." They seemed pleased with my answer and continued to try to speak. "We search for a c-c-c-century for Highness Kallisto. She vanish during bad war. Need her back." Alice found it rather comical as to their methods of communication. In her words, they were like toddlers who spoke gibberish and broken English.

Agathangelos was a tall and skinny demon with wings. He looked very young, but then again Bella is over 3,000 years old, so there's no telling how old he really is. He was much more outgoing than his partner. His golden eyes darted around in excitement (He must not get out much). Chrysanthos on the other hand, had a much more muscular body. His arms were covered in scrapes and cuts and he had a huge sword sitting on his hip. He was quieter and I watched as his golden eyes darted around the room for any signs of danger. I saw his body relax some when he saw we were safe at the moment.

Both of them froze when footsteps came from the stairs. I turned to see Bella descending the stairs, in her demon form, wearing an absolutely gorgeous dress. Both of our guests gasped when they saw her and immediately fell to the ground, bowing their heads. She smiled as she shook her head and walked towards them. She grabbed their hands and placed a kiss on each. When they looked up at her again, short yelps were heard. Chrysanthos quickly rose and began slowly and respectfully moving his hands along the visible areas her curse had been. He began to frantically speak in their language again when she calmly placed her hand over his mouth and shook her head. He hung his low and backed away.

At this time I rose and took Bella into my arms. "You look incredible." She blushed as I kissed her cheek. I heard two growls and was about to retaliate when Bella cut my off with a few very crisp and sharp clicks to the two. They lowered their heads again, but never took their eyes off of me. "I'm assuming you know their names, but Agathangelos, meaning messenger, is the Underworld's mailman basically. He and a few others deliver messages for both people and demons. Chrysanthos, which means golden flower, is my guardian, you could say. He was my father's, but when I was born, my father moved him to protect me." That explains why they were so protective of her.

"Bella, why didn't you tell us you were a princess?" Esme asked the question we all wanted to know the answer to. Bella sadly smiled. "I ran away because I didn't want to be a princess. I wanted to avoid remembering my life there because it wasn't a life. I was existing, not living. I apologize for deceiving you all and I hope that you can forgive me." I lifted my hand to her cheek and gently pulled her face towards mine, placing a soft kiss on her lips. I smiled, "You are forgiven. Should we call you Bella or Kallisto?" She laughed.

"It doesn't matter to me. I'll answer to both."

Carlisle's curiosity got the best of him. "Bella, tell us more about your world." She wrinkled her nose as she thought about it.

"Well, it has existed since the dawn of time, but like humans, no one really wrote things down. The oldest records my father's library possess is... oh about 8,000 years I think. Anyway, around that time, his grandfather came into power. He was a very paranoid man, obsessed with prophecies and superstitions. The story is that he heard a prophecy one day that said his kingdom would be torn apart by warring twins. Well, he decided it would be best if no family, demon or human, had twins. You see, though everyone there is dead in every sense of the world, it is the afterlife. They build families with their previous loves or with new ones they meet. Then, after they've been in the afterlife for a certain amount of time, they can choose whether or not they want to return to Earth to live as a human again. Some choose not to and remain in the Underworld with their new families. So, no family was allowed to have twins. If they did, the weaker of the two would be killed. This continued for many years, until my grandfather was old enough to rule. He wanted to take power of the afterlife, not because he was a power seeker, but because he felt it was time for new flesh to rule. It took much convincing, but eventually his father agreed to it. So the twin massacre ended. Then, my father and uncle were born. And now, uncle seeks to rip the Underworld apart and create his own army to march on the world of the living."

Esme covered her mouth to stifle a gasp. Bella tore her gaze away from me and looked at Esme. "You were wondering why I didn't want to return home?" We all nodded.

"If I return, I must marry my own uncle to try and create some sense of peace in our world."

Sorry this took so long! I've been really busy with camps and sports. But I'm done for a few weeks so I'll try and write a lot.